Alaska Ocean Observing System

Name

Alaska Ocean Observing System

Legal name

Alaska Ocean Observing System

Website

https://aoos.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oceanographic Data Services

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Navigational Services to Shipping (48833)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Sensors, Instrumentation & IoT (Condition Monitoring) (IMAJAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nautical Safety, Navigation Aids & Hydrographic Services (TLAHAFAE), Marine Safety, Alarm & Monitoring Systems (Fire/Gas, IAS, PA/GA) (IMAJAJAG), Remote Sensing & Earth Observation Analytics (Satellite/UAV/LiDAR, Image Processing) (EUAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Coastal ocean observing
• Marine data products
• Real-time maritime conditions
• Fisheries forecasting services
• Regional IOOS association

Headquarters

HQ city

Anchorage

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: AOOS operates as a regional observing system under the national IOOS program, funded primarily through NOAA and other government agency grants. The organization receives financial and material support from NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Department of Fish & Game, and other federal/state programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Alaska Ocean Observing System operates an online Ocean Data Explorer portal and a suite of regional and local maritime conditions dashboards that provide real-time coastal and ocean data and information products to the public, including wind speed, waves, tides, temperature, and water level measurements across Alaska's coastal regions. The organization delivers specialized forecasting products such as the Yukon River Chinook salmon run timing model, HYCOM-based sea ice animations for the Bering Strait region, the Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO), and the Alaska Water Level Watch (AWLW) program with its Historic Tidal Benchmark Map. AOOS also supports autonomous underwater glider deployments, the Chukchi Sea Ecosystem Observatory, the Backyard Buoys community-based wave buoy program, and harmful algal bloom (AHAB) monitoring.

Product overview

Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) is a regional coastal and ocean data service organization that operates as a collaborative network providing data and information products through online portals. The core offering is the Ocean Data Explorer portal, which serves as the primary platform for accessing coastal and ocean data. This platform is supported by a network of products including Regional and Local Conditions Dashboards for real-time maritime information across Alaska's coastal areas, the Alaska Water Level Watch (AWLW) sub-brand for water level monitoring, the SIWO (Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook) forecasting service for Arctic ice conditions, and the Historic Tidal Benchmark Map for coastal surveying information. Additional specialized products include the Yukon River Chinook Run Timing Forecast for fisheries management, the Backyard Buoys community observing program, Algal Bloom Monitoring (AHAB), autonomous underwater gliders, and the Chukchi Sea Ecosystem Observatory. The organization also provides a mobile-accessible version of maritime weather data and maintains the Bering Sea Portal for regional data integration. AOOS functions primarily as a data aggregator and visualization platform rather than a traditional product company, collecting and distributing oceanographic, meteorological, and ecological data from various monitoring sources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ocean Data Explorer Online portal providing coastal and ocean data and information products to the public, featuring regional and local dashboards that display real-time parameters including wind speed, waves, tides, temperature, and water level for Alaska coastal areas.
• Regional Conditions Dashboards Real-time maritime condition dashboards covering five regional areas: Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet, Kodiak, Bering Sea, and Southeast Alaska.
• Local Conditions Dashboards Local-level maritime condition dashboards for Anchorage, Cordova, Dutch Harbor, Homer, Juneau, Ketchikan, Nome, Seward, Sitka, Valdez, and Whittier.
• Alaska Water Level Watch (AWLW) Program focused on coastal water level monitoring, providing access to real-time water level data and historic tidal benchmark information for Alaska coastal communities.
• Historic Tidal Benchmark Map ArcGIS Online interactive map developed with JOA Surveys providing access to historic tidal benchmark locations and associated benchmark sheets for researchers, coastal managers, surveyors, and community stakeholders.
• Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO) Weekly forecast reports providing assessment of current ice conditions relevant to distribution and access of walrus for Arctic coastal communities, including ice forecasts, wind synopsis, and temperature trends for the Bering Strait region.
• Yukon River Chinook Run Timing Forecast Collaboration with Alaska Department of Fish & Game and NOAA that forecasts the timing of Chinook salmon runs in the Yukon River Delta using environmental indicators including air temperature, sea surface temperature, and ice cover data.
• Bering Sea Portal Data integration portal for Bering Sea oceanographic data, providing access to regional ocean and weather information including Nome sea ice radar data.
• Backyard Buoys Community-based ocean observing program where local participants deploy wave buoys in their local waters to contribute to ocean observation data collection.
• Algal Bloom Monitoring (AHAB) Program monitoring harmful algal blooms as part of broader ecosystem research, highlighting how algal bloom monitoring and ecosystem research intersect.
• Chukchi Sea Ecosystem Observatory Research platform featuring a benthic tripod at the Chukchi Sea, collecting ecosystem data with video footage available from AOOS-funded equipment.
• Gliders (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles) Autonomous underwater vehicles used for ocean data collection, with animations created from AOOS-supported glider data displayed in research contexts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mean absolute prediction errors of 2.20-2.93 days for salmon run timing forecasts
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• North Pacific Research Board (NPRB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026Collaboration on Arctic research programs including the Backyard Buoys community science initiative. NPRB's Arctic Program and AOOS research intersect through algal bloom monitoring (A-HAB) and broader ecosystem research.
• Anchorage MuseummajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 May 2026Collaboration on Arctic marine science exhibit showcasing over a decade of AOOS research and community science programs. The museum provides public outreach platform for ocean observing data and programs.
• Alaska Department of Fish & GamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration on salmon management projects including the Yukon River Chinook Run Timing Project. ADF&G provides critical fishery management data and coordinates with AOOS on run timing forecasts and Lower Yukon Test Fishery operations.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary federal partner providing financial support and data integration. NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service co-funds the Yukon River Chinook forecasting project and AOOS operates as part of the national IOOS network.
• JOA SurveysmajorTechnology or IntegrationPartnered to develop the Historic Tidal Benchmark Map for Alaska through the Alaska Water Level Watch (AWLW) program. JOA Surveys provides expertise in water level sensor installation and historic benchmark documentation.
• University of Alaska FairbankscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner collaborating on Arctic research, glider deployments, and ecosystem monitoring. Researchers from UAF work with AOOS on Chukchi Sea Ecosystem Observatory and other projects.
• Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational ocean observing program that AOOS is certified as a regional association of. Provides framework, standards, and coordination for coastal and ocean observing across the United States.
• Backyard Buoys Program PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity science program partnering with local communities to deploy wave buoys. Community members participate in ocean observing in their own backyards as part of the program.
• Alaska Water Level Watch (AWLW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAOOS-administered program focused on water level monitoring across Alaska coastal communities. Coordinates with multiple partners including Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, local tribes, and cities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pacific Northwest Ocean Observing System (NANOOS): Adjacent IOOS Regional Association serving the Pacific Northwest with coastal ocean and atmosphere data, dashboards, and IOOS-aligned community partnerships. Operationally a near-identical model to AOOS in a neighboring Pacific geography.
• Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS): Northeast U.S. IOOS Regional Association providing ocean observations and forecasts via an interactive data portal to regional stakeholders. Closest functional counterpart to AOOS in an Atlantic basin.
• Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS): Sister IOOS-certified Regional Association covering central and northern California with the same regional-coastal-observing model, NOAA partnership structure, and data-portal delivery as AOOS. The two are direct organizational peers by mandate and product framing.
• Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing System (SECOORA): IOOS Regional Association for the Southeastern U.S. providing coastal ocean observing data and products. Directly comparable in mission, governance, and product framing to AOOS, with a Southeast U.S. instead of Alaska focus.
• Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARACOOS): IOOS Regional Association serving the Mid-Atlantic with marine weather, ocean observing data, and fishery-relevant forecasts. Compares to AOOS as a peer IOOS-certified regional association with comparable web dashboards and NOAA funding model.

Regional players

• Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS): IOOS Regional Association for the U.S. Pacific Islands providing ocean/climate data and forecast products through a similar portal structure. Shares AOOS's nonprofit, grant-funded model but serves a tropical island geography rather than Alaska's Arctic/sub-Arctic.
• Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS): IOOS Regional Association for the Great Lakes providing publicly accessible water-level, weather, and ecosystem observation data. Closest functional peer to AOOS among the inland-water IOOS associations, sharing the same nonprofit, dashboard-based delivery model.
• Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS): IOOS Regional Association delivering real-time coastal data, observation infrastructure, and stakeholder products to the Gulf region. Built on the same IOOS regional blueprint as AOOS, including NOAA partnership and web-based dashboards.

Broad incumbents

• Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) / NOAA: NOAA's primary lab for oceanographic and atmospheric monitoring feeds much of the upstream data AOOS integrates; equivalent national-scale ocean observation mandate and comparable buoy/glider instrumentation, but at national rather than regional remit.

Emerging players

• Sofar Ocean: Private commercial ocean intelligence company operating wave buoys, smart mooring systems, and ocean forecasts, including in Alaska Arctic waters. Overlaps with AOOS in sensor hardware (Sofar buoys are even deployed through AOOS's Backyard Buoys program) and ocean forecast deliverables.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/aoos-alaska.bsky.social
• Facebookfacebook.com/alaskaobserving
• Instagraminstagram.com/aoos_alaska

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alaska Ocean Observing System